So, you want to be an anti-racist? But, you’re White? Maybe, you live in an area that is not “diverse”, and you would like to help the International Black Lives Matter movement without asking your One Black Friend or colleague to perform the exhausting emotional labour of explaining British racism and Black History to you?

You first have to stop, listen, never assume, and look inwards, and backwards, at all the ways that you might have internalised and perpetuated the White Supremacy that we all have been brought up with here in the United Kingdom. It’s not going to be a comfortable process but it’s a necessary one if we are to move forward on this Earth in a way that will promote equity for everyone.

Why equity and not equality? The Interaction Institute for social Change explains it beautifully in this widely shared image:

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A lot of Black History is America-centric and maybe you even believe that the UK does not suffer from the kinds of racism and police violence that are apparent in the United States.

So, if you ‘d like to read about the reality of life in the UK for Black people, address your own prejudices and understand how British White Supremacy manifests itself, a good place to start are these books (covers downloaded from my Audible collection. Also available in other formats and from other retailers):

I’m also going to add this book. It’s not English, but the content spans continents and even can be applied to all types of oppression such as ableism and sexism.

And this, is just a brilliant read.

This is a tiny selection of books but, IMHO, an essential reading list for the budding Anti Racist.

Have you got any that you can add to this list?